KABUL - President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday asked participants of a regional seminar that ways should be explored to defend the Afghanistan's political independence. In his message to participants of the seminar titled "Independence, sacrifice and martyrdom," Karzai said Afghanistan's sovereignty was the result of countless sacrifices.

The message was read out by the head of the Academy of Sciences, Abdul Bari Rashid, at the two-day seminar that began in Kabul on Tuesday. Karzai said political independence was not possible without economic independence. Marking Afghanistan's 92nd Independence Day, the seminar was attended by parliamentarians, High Peace Council members, foreign delegates and officials of the academy.

The first Anglo-Afghan war took place in 1839, the second in 1880 and the third in 1919. The British were forced to strike a deal with Afghans and declare Afghanistan an independent state.
Rashid paid tributes to the Afghans who laid down their lives for glory of their country. He recalled Afghans had defeated the former Soviet Union to maintain their freedom.

High Peace Council Chairman Prof. Burhanuddin Rabbani said it was the responsibility of every Afghan to play his/her part in defending the country's political independence.
He said they would be able to keep their independence if all Afghan tribes stood united like they did during the jihad. He urged all Afghans, including the Taliban, to defend the country's independence.